h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am at work at the moment for a breakdown organisation in manchester, I was just browsing and saw that you are a freelance graphic designer. I am recently qualified to hnd level in graphic design and am doing my best now to get a job in the industry, i have done a touch of freelance but don't ever think I could be freelance g/designer, just because of the scary thought of not earning a steady income, how do you manage with this? Do you find you are financially sound? and the risks are low?

Do you have an online portfolio to look at? How do you get the work, advertising in papers or contract or phoning companies? Do you have any specialist areas in design you prefer? Do you set up, arrange and print all clients work yourself?

Personally I prefer, logo design/corporate design and am quite artistic, enjoying photography etc.

Hello there! Welcome to H2G2!

I hope I can answer most of your questions...first a bit more about me.

When I left college I too had a HND in Graphic Design - but that was 18 years ago! It was the dawning of the computer age and all I wanted to do was computer graphics (influenced by the Dire Straits video - Money for Nothing). I was glad that I had the traditional graphics training behind me though. I was interested in packaging and typography and sort of fell into the job I do now by accident. I got my first break from the work placement at the end of my course - it led to a full time job in a software production company where I designed new fonts and icons. From there I went into presentation graphics and slidemaking (35mm slides for conferences). Then when slidemaking died a death I went into Photoshop and PowerPoint design. I worked full time at an events production company for 5 and a half years - then got made redundant. Freelancing was the only option open to me and - scary or not - I had to "go for it". I have been freelance for 10 years now.

I must say that it is very scary at first. You wonder if the phone will ever ring and if it doesn't whether you are good enough to do the job.

I was lucky. I had a few contacts in the industry and so through word of mouth I got work. You must get some business cards printed up and hand them to everybody!

I have never advertised or phoned companies for work. Lucky again? Who knows? But if you are talented and good at your job then your reputation preceeds you and that is what gets your next job.

To get a foot in the door you must be prepared for rejection. There are alot of very good designers all fighting for the same jobs. You must be confident and do whatever is necessary - if that means making tea and answering the phones then do it. At least it gets you in. But you must target the companies you want to work for. It's no good going to an ad agency if you want to do packaging! Also - it is very important to do your homework on the company and what they have produced. Buy some design mags (Design Week and Creative Review) and apply for everything!

I recommend you go after a full time job first - get established and confident. Then you can think about going freelance.

I can recommend it - the pay is better, the hours are good (you choose when you want to work) and you get to meet lots of different people.

That's enough to be going on with I think - any other questions I'll be happy to try and answer.

Keep in touch and good luck

Deb (LiaT)

Deb

Thank's for the reply, a bit more info about me, I live in Stockport, Cheshire and at 18 I did an art foundation which should have lead onto a degree but i had had enough of college so got settled in a normal job, earning cash was great, I am now 28yrs old and 2.5yrs ago, gave up everything to try to get back into design so went back to college to do the hnd, which i did really well at, i have my Mac at home and am competant in most packages, since finishing the course in july, I have had 5 interviews, to which have gone really well, but have been ousted by someone with more of what they are looking for! (they don't know what they are missing!) But since leaving college, have returned back here at the yellow breakdown org. full time as pay helps and have continued designing for portfolio and doing design briefs for friends and friends of friends. quite fun! I also had some words of encouragement from someone else in the business who said if you have to prostitute yourself to get your foot in the door then do it! So I am still trying!

Thanks once again, anything else you can think off or want to chat about then please reply!!

Dave